"A seven-member task force will examine whether Las Vegas needs a new, state-of-the-art special events center to ensure it remains the world's premiere (sic) event destination well into the 21st century."

Forget that the city, county and higher education system (!) don't know when they are talking about a premier tourist attraction looking ahead to the premiere of a new events center. This is one of the most transparent ploys brandished by government types: Erect a task force or citizen's committee or blue-ribbon commission to come to a conclusion they already have reached.

A buffer to provide cover for elected officials by any other name is still a buffer. And this one, announced this week by Mayor Oscar Goodman, County Commission Chairman Rory Reid and Regents Chairman Bret Whipple, is as obvious as any in history.

This is a done deal, with the only questions minor ones such as who will be lucky enough to sit on the panel and major ones such as who will end up paying for the facility.

It may indeed be obvious that the Thomas & Mack Center is a small-town relic, a second-class place that is not appropriate for mega-events such as a political convention or major league franchise home. So say that. Say we need one and we just have to figure out how to pay for it.

Who do these guys think they are fooling?

"Officials fear that if they don't build a cutting-edge facility, Las Vegas could lose prestigious shows and events to other cities with more modern venues, costing the local economy many millions of dollars," the news release continued.

So if they fear that, why not build it and decide how to finance it?

Because they want to show due diligence through this committee (the means) to justify their private decision, all but manifested in this release, to build one (the ends).

If anyone doubts this is a fait accompli looking for a rationale and credibility, consider two of the bullet points on the commtitee's overall agenda:

• Establish a project schedule and target completion date.

• Research viability of professional sports franchise anchor tenant.

They already have the thing built and are looking for teams.

So you erect the task force structure so a bunch of well-intentioned folks, who we hope have some expertise, can actually provide some substance and analysis to achieve community buy-in. As the release promises, the group "will conduct an economic impact study that considers the value of a new arena for tourism, the economy, on locals, and the effect of construction and the impact on the area where it would be built and operated. The feasibility of the immediate and long-term use of the T&M also would be evaluated."

Implosion anyone?

The real issue for these elected officials isn't whether the stadium might lead to professional sport teams getting more serious ­— we already know how Goodman, especially, feels about that. It's how do you get the community to support the expense. And, more to the point, how can you do it without the community having to pay for it, as has happened so many other places?

The news release points out that the T&M was built mostly with slot machine proceeds and that the officials "think they can tap the private sector for some of the costs this time."

Really? I hope so. Like many Las Vegans, I think it would be wonderful to have a professional sports team. And if we build it, maybe they will come, although there are other obstacles to surmount.

It's still unclear, even though gaming will have seats on the task force, whether the industry will ever buy into this idea. It cannot be a priority for the casinos.

Perhaps that will change, but what is immutable is government's disingenuousness when it wants something done, and its willingness to push good citizens out front to make its case.